Ignition system



April 23, 1935.

0. HASSELBAUM IGNITION SYSTEM Filed May 24, 1934 mllIIIHIIIIIIIIEjIII'I M Q /7 A9 a Z7 5 a 1 1/0 6 i W 4 Q Inwevztm;

Oscar fiassezkaza AWE/6'.

Patented Apr. 23, 1935 PATENT OFFICE IGNITION SYSTEM Oscar Hasselbaum, Dorchester, Mass., assignor to Richard S. Robie, Melrose, Mass.

Application May 24, 1934, Serial No. 727,267

9 Claims.

Notwithstanding laws to the contrary many automobile drivers leave the engines running when leaving their cars, thereby endangering lives and property and wasting gasoline. This is particularly true of truck drivers, resulting in great loss to the owners of the trucks.

Objects of the present invention are to render it impossible for a driver to get out of his car without stopping the engine, tomake it impossible to start the engine until the doors are closed, and to accomplish these results economically with respect to both first cost and operating cost. According to this invention the ignition switch is controlled by electromagnet means which in turn is controlled by door switches (or other auxiliary switch or switches) so that the ignition circuit is opened automatically when a car door is opened. The magnetic means is preferably arranged to move the switch only from closed to open position and not from open to closed position so that when the door is again closed the ignition circuit is not reconnected by the v I magnetic means. The electromagnet is also preferably arranged to be deenergized automatically as soon as it has performed its function of opening the ignition circuit, thereby saving current and automatically freeing the ignition switch for normal closing whenever the engine is to be started again; and this is preferably accomplished by connecting the magnet in series with the ignition switch (but not in series with the ignition devices such as induction coil, timer and spark plugs) so that the magnet, when energized by closing a door switch, immediately opens its own circuit. Thus the preferred embodiment of the invention involves a branched circuit with a common portion containing the ignition switch and a source of current, one branch including the ignition devices and the other branch including the magnet and door switches.

For the purpose of illustration the preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which,

Fig. 1 is a circuit diagram;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a door switch;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the magnetically controlled ignition switch Fig. 4 is a section on line l4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

The particular embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises a branched circuit having the usual induction coil C, timer T in the branchleading to the engine E and including in the other branch the winding (Cl. -82) I of a solenoid M and two switches S and S in parallel, the common portion of the branched circuit including the ignition switch I and a suitable source of current K. The armature of the solenoid M is connected to the switch I so that 5 *the switch is opened when the magnet is energized and .the magnet is energized when either of the switches S or S is closed through the circuit comprising the grounded source of current K, the ignition switch I, one of the switches S or 10 S, conductor 28, the magnet M, conductor 21 and thence back to the ground. Thus when the magnet is energized to open the switch I the circuit of the magnet is immediately opened at the switch I so that the energization of the magnet 15 is only momentary.

The ignition switch I and electromagnet M are preferably built in a single unit as illustrated for example in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. This unit com prises a metallic face plate I, an intermediate 2 plate 2 of insulation and a back plate 3 also of insulation but somewhat smaller than the intermediate plate, terminating at the line 4 in Figs.

3 and 4. The three plates are held together by bolts 5, 6 and 6' and the front plate is secured to 2 the intermediate plate by an additional bolt 1. By using one or more of the bolts 6, 6 and l for mounting the unit on a metallic part of the automobile the front plate I may be grounded; and inasmuch as the bolt 5, which also serves as a 30 binding post connects with the front plate I, this post is automatically grounded when the unit is mounted in place.

The ignition switch I comprises a metallic bridging piece mounted on an insulation slide 8 35 and adapted to engage two contacts 9 and I0 when moved to the right, thecontacts 9 and I0 being mounted on the back plate 3 by means of bolts II. The back plate 3 has cut-outs l2 and I3 extending all the way through the plate and 40 between these two cut-outs the under side of the plate is cut away to provide a passage for the slide 8. When the slide is moved to the left-hand position (Figs. 3 and 4) the ignition switch is opened and when moved to the right-hand position the bridging piece I engages both of the contacts 9 and ill to close the ignition circuit. The slide 8 is connected to an L-shaped member l4 by means of rivets l5 and the upstandi g end of this member is interconnected with a anual 50 switch handle l5 through a link l6 and a rotating member I! journaled in the plates l and 2. The rotating part I! is also interconnected with the armature l8 and the solenoid through a link V I9. Thus when the switch handle is rotated in a 55 counterclockwise direction (Fig. 8) the switch I is closed and the armature II is pulled part way out of the magnet M; and when the magnet M is subsequently energized the rotating part I1 is turned back in a clockwise direction to open the ignition switch.

The switches S and S are of the door-operated type as illustrated for example in Fig. 2 wherein II is a front mounting plate, 2| a cylindrical casing, 22 a button sliding in the case 2| and projecting through a central opening in the plate ll, 23 a spring forurging the button 22 outwardly, II contacts connected to the binding posts 25, and I. a conducting ring mounted on the inner end of the button 22 and insulated therefrom by a sleeve 2!.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the ignition switch I may be closed by hand without interference by the magnet M and by associating the two switches 8 and S with the doors respectively on each side of the driver's seat the driver may not leave the car without closing one of the two switches S or 8', thereby energizing the magnet M and opening the ignition switch. It will also be evident that upon reentering the car the driver may not start the engine until both doors are closed, because if the ignition switch be closed by hand while either of the switches S or S remains closed the magnet M will immediately be energized to reopen the switch I.

' It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An ignition system comprising an ignition circuit including a source of current, ignition devices and an ignition switch, a magnet for opening the ignition switch, and a door switch for energizing the magnet when the door is opened,

the magnet being connected in series with the ignition switch so that it is immediately deenergized when it opens the ignition switch.

2. An ignition system comprising an ignition circuit including a source of current, ignition devices and an ignition switch, a magnet for moving the ignition switch only from closed to open position, a door switch for energizing the magnet when the door is opened, the magnet being connected in series with the ignition switch so that it is immediately deenergized when it opens the ignition switch, and a handle for moving the ignition switch from open to closed position.

3. An ignition system comprising a branched circuit with a common portion, a source of current and an ignition switch in the common portion, ignition devices in one branch and, in the other branch, a magnet for controlling the ignition switch and a door switch for controlling the magnet, whereby the magnet is energized momentarily to open said common portion of the circuit when the door is opened.

4. An ignition system comprising a branched circuit with a common portion, a source of current and an ignition switch in the common portion, ignition devices in one branch and, in the other branch, a magnet for opening the ignition switch when the magnet is energized and a plurality of door switches connected in parallel for energizing the magnet, whereby the magnet is energized momentarily'to open said common portion when any door is opened.

5. An ignition system comprising a branched circuit with a common portion, a source of current and an ignition switch in the common portion, means for moving the switch from open to closed position, ignition devices in one branch and, in the other branch, means including a magnet for moving the ignition switch only from closed to open position and a door switch for controlling the magnet, whereby the magnet is energized momentarily to open said common portion of the circuit when the door is opened.

6. An ignition system comprising a branched circuit with a common portion, a source of current and an ignition switch in the common portion, means for moving the switch from open to closed position, ignition devices in one branch and, in the other branch, means including a magnet for moving the ignition switch only from closed to open position when the magnet is energized and a plurality of door switches connected in parallel for energizing the magnet, whereby the magnet is energized momentarily to open said common portion when any door is opened.

7. An ignition system comprising ignition devices, a magnet, circuits for connecting said magnet and devicesto a suitable source of current, switch mechanism controlled by the magnet for controlling the circuits of the magnet and devices, and an auxiliary switch for con trolling the magnet.

8. An ignition system comprising a branched circuit with a common portion, a source of current in the common portion, ignition devices in one branch and,. in another branch, a magnet for controlling the ignition devices, switch mechanism controlled by said magnet for controlling the flow of current in both of said branches, and an auxilitry switch for controlling the magnet.

9. An ignition system for automobiles and the like comprising ignition devices, a magnet, circuits for connecting said magnet and devices to a suitable source of current, switch mechanism controlled by the magnet for controlling the circuits of the magnet and devices, and a door switch for controlling the magnet in response to opening movement of the door.

OSCAR HASSELBAUM. 

